Ash-Shaikh ul-'Allaamah Ubaid Al-Jaabiree, hafidhahullaah said:
(Date: Sunday 8th October 2006, after taraweeh prayer, in the city of Madeenah, KSA, during the Dawrah 'Ilmiyyah in Ramadhaan)

"As for the fourth level, it is the level of patience in whatever harm afflicts him in the path of calling to Allaah, the Sublime and Exalted. And you should know, may Allaah bless you, that whoever puts himself forward for da'wah and partakes in it, then he appoints for himself the duty of the Prophets and Messengers, from Nuh, the first of them, to Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). And so long as the affair is like that, then harm will afflict him to the level of his striving in his da'wah. But sometimes it can increase, when ignorance increases, and corruption increases, and innovations increases, then it (the harm) can become more severe upon the caller to Allaah.

And when these affairs decrease, then the harm will decrease. And whoever desires to convey the true da'wah to the creation, then it is upon him to have patience, and to strive in this patience. And as for the one whose chest becomes constricted and is hasty, and does not adhere to patience, then he will not reach what he desires of explaining the truth to the people and calling them to it.

And we know in these days what has afflicted Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham, from a people who ascribe to the Sunnah. And these (people), I don't know what has carried them to (make) this audacious attack. And we, all praise is due to Allah, know the Maktabah for years, and that which we advise everyone who is affiliated with the Maktabah, regardless of whether it is someone who is part of it, or one who listens to its lessons (that are organised by it), or who is close by it, that they don't pay any attention to this audacious attack.

This is because, the Maktabah, and all praise is due to Allaah, Allaah has paved the way for it in the last few years, from the people of knowledge and excellence who have become tied with it and who have acknowledged [and partaken in] its striving in calling to Allaah, the Sublime and Exalted.

And I emphasize that you do not pay attention this hateful, large-scale attack, from some of those who ascribe to the Sunnah. And we know them to be students from the Islamic University (of Madeenah). And we know others, but we do not like to name anyone.

And that which I advise the Muslim men and women who have an attachment to the Maktabah Salafiyyah, is that they have patience and seek aid from Allaah, and not be deceived by the large numbers of opposers.

And how excellent is what has been said by Fudayl bin 'Iyaad (rahimahullaah), "You must follow the paths of guidance, and the scarcity of followers will not harm you. And beware of the paths of misguidance, and do not be deceived by the abundance of those who perish".

And greater than this sentence in admonition and lesson, is what is authentically reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), is that the nations were presented to him and that he saw a prophet having with him between three to ten people, and a prophet having with him one or two people, and a prophet who had no one with him. So let all of this be a lesson.

And some trustworthy brothers have informed me that when Shaykh Waseeullaah Abbaas visited the Maktabah and said what he said of words that he did not fully comprehend, and which had been put into his ears by way of some people of biased personal interests, that fifteen people left the Maktabah. And the answer to this is that this does not harm you, even if only fifteen people remained (with the Maktabah), so long as you spread the Sunnah, and you aid it, and defend it and its people.

I will end this word with a very beautiful story, its essence is that Imaam Malik (rahimahullaah) authored the well known al-Muwatta. And the Imaam Ibn Abee Dhi'b (rahimahullaah) authored a Muwatta greater in size than it. So it was said to Imaam Malik, "What is the benefit in this Muwatta of yours when Ibn Abee Dhi'b has authored a Muwatta greater in size than yours". What do you imagine about the saying of Imaam Malik (that he responded with). He said a very amazing and beautiful statement, within which, by Allaah, is an admonition, and within which is an encouragement for whoever calls to the truth even if those who follow him are few. He (rahimahullaah) said, "Whatever is (sincerely) for (the sake of) Allaah, will remain".

And how free from imperfections is Allaah, the Mighty, there has not appeared [and spread] across the whole of the earth, except the Muwatta of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullaah). As for the Muwattaa of Ibn Abee Dhi'b (rahimahullaah), then it has no trace as far as I know.

And here, may Allaah bless you, I note regarding my saying, "Some of them are from the Islamic University of Madeenah", that it is not permissible that it be understood from this that the University is responsible for them. These actions of theirs are from themselves, and the University is not responsible for the behaviour of individuals or groups from amongst its students.

Question: "May Allaah preserve you, this is the fourth question. The questioner says, "[Regarding] our brothers at Maktabah Salafiyyah, recently people in the West began to free themselves from the brothers, either by way of not attending the lessons at the mosque ... and likewise, internationally, some of them have websites on the Internet, they have removed the links to the websites of the brothers at Maktabah Salafiyyah. And there are some amongst them who call them, or who accuse them with (being) Ghulaat, (and as a result) they remove the link that is on their site to (the websites of) Maktabah Salafiyyah, or they say to Maktabah Salafiyyah remove the link to our site from your site.

So what is the extent of cooperation that is desirable with our brothers at Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham."

Shaykh Ubayd (hafidhahullaah) responded:

"Firstly: I know the Maktabah Salafiyyah, in Birmingham, Britain for many years. And they, and all priase is due to Allaah, are upon the Manhaj and upon goodness, and we do not know from them except goodness.

And secondly: It is inevitable that the people of desires and innovators wage war against Ahl us-Sunnah, and attack them, and will devise plots against them - with accusations that have no limits to them - amongst them are those that you have mentioned and there are others. However, this does not harm. For the one who had patience upon whatever he meets in the path of calling to Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, then his end result is aid (from Allaah).

And as for what you have mentioned of people freeing themselves (from the Maktabah), then consideration is not given to abundance in numbers. Consideration is not in numbers but in truth, in arriving at the truth. So whoever is upon the truth, then he is granted excellence, even if they are very few. They are the soldiers of Allah.

And whoever is upon falsehood, even if they were millions, then they are soldiers of Iblees.

This is the truth.

And how excellent is what has been said by Fudayl bin 'Iyaad (rahimahullaah), "You must follow the paths of guidance, and the scarcity of followers will not harm you. And beware of the paths of misguidance, and do not be deceived by the abundance of those who perish".

And then there is another affair.

The Maktabah Salafiyyah, all praise is due to Allaah, Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham is tied to the people of knowledge, and take from them. They have lessons with us. We have completed with them (the explanation of the book) "The Three Principles" (al-Usool uth-Thalaatha), and "The Four Rules" (al-Qawaa'id al-Arba') and they visited Madeenah and a dawrah was established for them under our supervision. Noble brothers participated in it, the brother, Doctor Saalih bin Abdul-Azeez as-Sindi participated in it, and the brother, the Doctor Muhammad bin Bakheet al-Hujayree. And I believe that if the time was sufficient, others would have participated, such as Shaykh Saalih as-Suhaymee, and Shaykh Alee bin Naasir (al-Faqeehee), on account of what they know of the thiqah (trustworthiness) in this Maktabah, the Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham.

However, the time was limited, so two noble brothers came forward. The Shaykh, Doctor Saalih bin Abdul-Azeez as-Sindi, and the brother, Shaykh, Doctor Muhammad bin Bakheet al-Hujayree, despite them being very busy. So they did not hesitate when I presented to them an invitation to participate in this dawrah. And they now have weekly lessons, on the evening of every Sunday with Shaykh Abdullaah bin Abdur-Rahmaan al-Ghudayaan, (hafidhahullaah), and you know who the Shaykh is, a faqeeh, verifier and he is a member of the Committee of Major Scholars of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and he is a member of the Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

So it is not strange that these accusations from some people should be made against the Maktabah Salafiyyah. And those who contrive these accusations are either people of desires who are alarmed by what the Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham undergoes (of meetings) with the people of knowledge, from our brothers from Ahl us-Sunnah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And I think likewise, in Yemen.

So how can those people not backbite.

And how can they not devise these accusations and lay down these plots.

Nothing other than this can be hoped from them at all, in opposition to Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham.

Yes, they had some mistakes in the fiqh of mu'aamalaat, however they took good advice from those who gave advice from their brothers. And there is no person, after the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) who is infallible from errors. The Ummah as a whole, collectively is saved from error [i.e. it will never unite upon error], but as for individuals and groups, then they do not have infallibility from error.

So the one who errs and then consults his brothers and explains the situation to them in order to take advice and consultation (in the affairs), then this one is upon goodness, this is an evidence to show that he desires the truth, and guidance, and the correct way.

This is the situation of the Maktabah Salafiyyah in that which we know of them and estimate of them, and Allaah is sufficient for them in goodness.

And I invite our sons in the West, in America, Canada, France and other states of Europe, to make cooperation with Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham. And I invite Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham to make cooperation with the other salafi maktabaat in America and Europe. For cooperation between the salafi maktabaat and salafi mosques in the West is what will strengthen their spine, and Allaah will, on account of this (mutual cooperation), support them.

And that they strengthen the tie that is between them of truth and guidance.

And it is not permissible that we lend our hearing to the people of desires. And it is not permissible that we accept their oppressive accusations.

For cooperation upon birr and taqwaa between us is obligatory. And he (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, "A believer to another believer is like a building, parts of it strengthen each other."

And from the tribulation, rather, from the great tribulations is changing the errors (i.e. from what they actually are in reality).

For the Salafi errs, either due to forgetfulness, or due to error in ijtihaad. And that which is expected of him is to seek the truth. So when a Salafi errs, we advise him, and explain the truth to him, with its evidence. And he will accept if Allaah wills. And we have not known a Salafi to whom the evidence has reached, except that he will leave that which he was upon of (his) ijtihaad."